How Chris Wilson Uses Franchise Systems to Reduce Risk and Scale Smarter

Chris Hubbard

Chris Wilson is the founder of Legacy Franchise Ventures and a franchise consultant who helps investors and business owners evaluate, acquire, and scale franchise opportunities. After leaving corporate America, Chris built and successfully exited multiple franchise businesses and now guides others through the complex due diligence process. His work focuses on reducing risk by leveraging proven systems, documented processes, and repeatable business models.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[02:05] Why franchises work because of systems, not autopilot.
[05:10] What it really takes to scale a franchise beyond the startup phase.
[06:45] How to evaluate “average” performance before aiming above it.
[08:05] Why hiring and retention are critical to franchise success.
[11:20] What businesses must document before they can successfully franchise.

In this episode:

Franchises don’t succeed because they’re easy—they succeed because the systems are already built.

In this episode, Adi Klevit interviews Chris Wilson about why franchising is fundamentally a systems play. Chris shares how his early exposure to franchises shaped his understanding of scalability and why documented processes make it easier for business owners to grow without reinventing the wheel. He explains that while franchises provide structure, success still requires intentional execution, people, and leadership.

Adi and Chris dive into how franchise investors should approach due diligence. Chris outlines the importance of understanding what “average” performance looks like before attempting to outperform it and explains how analyzing Franchise Disclosure Documents and validating with existing operators creates a realistic picture of success. The conversation highlights that discovery and documentation reduce risk far more effectively than gut instinct.

The discussion then shifts to business owners considering franchising their own companies. Chris explains why profitability, brand clarity, and documented runbooks are non-negotiable before scaling. He emphasizes that franchising requires a shift from running the business to supporting others who run it—making systems, processes, and knowledge transfer essential. The episode reinforces a core principle: if a business can’t be documented, it can’t be replicated.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

“Franchises don’t run themselves—you still have to do the work.”
“You need to know what average looks like before you can be above average.”
“Systems are what allow a business to be replicated.”
“If the process lives in your head, it can’t be scaled.”
“People and processes determine long-term success.”

Action Steps:

Evaluate whether your business could operate without you for 30 days.
Document key processes before attempting to scale or franchise.
Learn what average performance looks like before setting aggressive growth goals.
Invest in hiring and retaining strong people to protect your systems.
Treat systems and documentation as assets, not administrative tasks.

Sponsor for this episode:

This episode is brought to you by Business Success Consulting Group.

At Business Success Consulting Group, we create custom processes and tailor-made management systems so businesses can thrive.

Businesses simply can’t survive without workable systems and well-documented processes. That’s why our team of experienced professionals takes care of it for you.

We provide business owners, entrepreneurs, and key executives with six phases to success, along with the long-lasting systems necessary to support business expansion.

So, what are you waiting for? Do yourself a favor and cut the chaos out of your business.

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